Different
by Vatina
Summary: The genomes have arrived at the Black Mage Village, but not everyone is satisfied with their new life... The three last chapters are up, and ends this fanfic! R&R!
1. Different

DIFFERENT  
  
CHAPTER 1: A NEW WORLD  
  
"What is your name?"  
  
"Melody."  
  
Birds passed above on the blue sky. *Birds? What are they for? They sound seem joyful. Is that the way they live and stay happy? Flying, singing, getting eaten? I heard someone talking about shooting them. . . shoot?*  
  
The Alexandrian soldier wrote something on a notebook and paused, hoping that the genome would say more than that, but nothing happened. She sighed, feeling awkward, and continued: "Well, thanks. I guess we checked them all." She left in a hurry, but Melody didn't bother looking after her.  
  
Melody finally looked up, watching the birds in the tree. She felt so... empty, and unsafe. She was afraid. Afraid of the place she had ended up in, afraid of what had happened to her home... afraid what would happen to her.  
  
"Melody?"  
  
Startled she stared up at the genome that stood in front of her, and felt her heart beat wildly. Who did she think she was? Sneaking up on people like that?  
  
*I cannot live here,* she thought, looking down again. *I am afraid of my own kind!*  
  
"What is it?"  
  
"Is something wrong?"  
  
*Yes, everything! I want to get back, back to where I belong.* "No Mikoto, nothing is wrong."  
  
"The soldiers are leaving," Mikoto said, "and the black mages has asked us to join them. They will show us the village."  
  
Melody nodded, and heard Mikoto leave. The Lindblum airships had helped the genomes in reaching their new home: the Black Mage Village. It was Zidane who got the idea... he was a genome like herself, and had lived here on Gaia almost his entire life. It was easy for him, but Melody was certain that this was not her home, and it would never be her home.  
  
"They said they would show me a... choco... chowe... chowono, or something like that."  
  
Melody looked up, and found that one of the younger genomes stood in front of her - a boy. His tail swung nervously from side to side.  
  
"I thought that maybe you wanted to come?"  
  
She shook her head. "Not now."  
  
He shrugged, and leaned a bit on the tip of his tail. "They told me that they are some kind of yellow birds... you know, feathered creatures. Only bigger."  
  
"I am not coming."  
  
"But..."  
  
"NO!"  
  
He jumped back, surprised, and stared at her. Then he turned and ran away, covering his face with his hands. Melody looked after him, shocked by her own reaction. She didn't mean to make him cry!  
  
Filled with anger she stood up, and kicked a stone with full force, scaring a flock of birds. She was so stupid. She was not the only one here scared, but she was the only one who did not try to fit in. She only made things worse for everyone else around her, made them cry.  
  
"I hate you, Kuja!" she screamed, and the white birds got on their wings filling the air with the sound of their wings. Melody ran away from the village, into the forest. But she did not get far, as a hare suddenly surprised her. An owl howled, and another one answered its call. Big yellow eyes staring at her from the trees, and she backed away, scared. What were these monsters?  
  
"Don't be afraid," a voice said, and she spun around. Behind her a black mage stood, looking funny with his pointy hat and big yellow eyes.  
  
*Like the monsters,* Melody thought. *Family?*  
  
"It's owls, only birds," the mage explained. "This forest is full of them. They won't harm you, they usually sleep at day."  
  
She did not answer, but watched the mage closely. It soon got uncomfortable under her stare and moved its feet nervously, looking down on the ground.  
  
"Someone told me that you ran in here. I... I just thought that I would go get you before you got lost."  
  
Still, Melody didn't say a word. After staring a while again, she shook her head. The mage had no fault; she was only making him feel bad too. What was it that Mikoto had said? That the mages was created too, like the genomes.  
  
"Thank you," she whispered.  
  
It looked up again and seemed relieved even though it didn't have many facial expressions. Then it turned and pointed. "Just follow that path. It leads to the village... you OK alone?" It looked worried.  
  
She nodded, and kept herself from looking at the mage. Then it went back to the village, and Melody looked up at the trees. *A forest?* she thought. *And owls.*  
  
* * *  
  
"What is that?" a daring child asked.  
  
"It is our mill," the mage answered proudly. "It helps us in many ways. It gives us water and... um... and..."  
  
"We don't really need it though," another mage quickly continued. "We kind of... well, we don't eat much."  
  
The first mage ran over to another house, opening the gate in the fence. "In here we keep our Chocobo. Our first Chocobo ever!"  
  
Mikoto did not listen much, as some of the more daring of the genomes went nearer to see what a Chocobo was. She closed her eyes, and thought of Zidane. *He got us here,* she thought. *And now we are left here without him.* Her mind also fell on Melody, and her soul was filled with grief and doubt. *Zidane... I wonder if you made the right choice. Maybe the genomes should not have been saved...*  
  
* * *  
  
Something - a sound - made Melody wake up from her slumber. She looked around surprised, and discovered that trees and owls surrounded her. She was close panicking again, when she remembered the mages' words: the owls won't hurt you... just follow the path... and the path still remained were it had been all the time.  
  
She had not slept since the arrival on Gaia, and though the sound of the forest was unfamiliar to her, she had easily fallen asleep. And she already knew the sound of the owls enough to be aware that they had not disturbed her sleep. Surprised she spun around as the sound came again: someone was screaming.  
  
For a moment she hesitated. It could be anything between those trees, and she did not like leaving the path. Maybe it was nothing; she could just ignore it... Another shorter scream sounded, and Melody closed her eyes, heart pounding in fear. Something inside of her head was buzzing, making her dizzy. It was someone from her own people, she felt it.*  
  
*No, I can not let them die! I can not ignore the danger because of my own selfishness!* She opened her eyes, and ran in between the trees. Without noticing the sharps branches wounding her arms she continued in the direction that she had heard the scream, and felt the genome. And soon she also heard the attacker.  
  
Running up a fallen tree that leaned up against its healthier neighbour, she saw the grove beneath her, and the giant carve spider attacking the boy that she had met earlier. He was already caught in its sticky web, and only his right arm and some of his face still remained free. Without stopping or hesitating, Melody jumped down from the dead tree, and down upon the giant spider. Shrieking in surprise, the spider jumped backwards, slicing out towards Melody with its long sharp claws. Forced to jump down, Melody landed flat on her stomach, and the spider ran forward to get its original prey. A shadow covered her as the spider stood above her, and she instinctively grabbed out to find a sharp branch nearby before rolling over on her back, thrusting the branch upwards. Warm, green, nasty goo flowed out from the screaming spiders stomach, over Melody's hand. She quickly rolled out from under the spider, as it collapsed, screaming higher and higher in pain.  
  
In a painful rage the spider suddenly rushed forward to take its enemy with it when it died. Melody jumped away in the last second, hearing the spider crash into the tree behind her as she rolled over a couple of times. With a big bleeding hole in its stomach, and a crushed head, the spider was finally dead.  
  
Melody rose, and brushed her clothes of as she watched the dead spider. Then she turned towards the trapped genome, removing as much as she could of the web. She managed to get his mouth free, and he gasped for air. He fell in her arms, crying.  
  
"No," she whispered. "Don't."  
  
The web from his body was immediately stuck on her clothes, but she did not care.  
  
"Come on, we have to get you washed. I am sure that the mages still wants to show you their yellow bird."  
  
END OF CHAPER 1  
  
* Remember when Beatrix thought that Zidane and the others had died in the blast above the Lifa Tree? That was when Mikoto felt that Zidane still lived. Genome speciality ;) 


	2. Leaving

CHAPTER 2: LEAVING  
  
Two mages came running in worry as they saw Melody carrying the boy into the village, and some genomes nearby also came to see what was happening. One of them was Mikoto. As the crowd took the boy, wanting to help washing the web of him, Melody stepped back. Mikoto saw her leave them, running through the village, and followed.  
  
Passing some of the villages houses, Melody soon found herself on a beautiful green spot without houses, and only a few trees. She stopped as the road ended, and watched the small mound filled with flowers, a stone- slab and some sticks with hats and straws. Staring at the beauty, she realised that the place was not made because of the flowers. There was something... a feeling... it made her feel sad. That was when she realised that she was not alone; a mage came up behind her, and watched the mound.  
  
"We made this ourselves," he said proudly.  
  
"Why?"  
  
Surprised, the mage did not answer right away. "We wanted this place to be nice, and to show our happiness and grief through the flowers. And... I guess we wanted to say thanks... to those down there."  
  
"Who?"  
  
"It's our cemetery. We buried them there. Those who... stopped..."  
  
Suddenly Melody was filled with an unpleasant cold, and shivered. Dead mages? "What? Why?"  
  
"Nothing killed them," the black mage explained. "They just stopped. Like we all will some day." He sighed. "I come here every day to make sure that this place keeps looking nice. I don't know why, I just know I have to do it."  
  
Melody did not answer. She just stared at the graves, grief filling her heart. The mages had welcomed them here, and had made their village the home of the genomes. Was it really because they knew that they would die one day, and leave the village empty? That they could not live forever, and could not breed? They wanted the village to live, and to do something good while they lived. That was why they did it. And because they knew how the genomes felt.  
  
Mikoto came up and stood beside them. Then the mage left, feeling awkward listening to their silence, and Mikoto looked at Melody.  
  
"They showed me this place too," she then said. "In one way we should not be surprised. We will also die some day, but unlike the mages our race can grow in numbers. That was why we were created as we were."  
  
"For what purpose?"  
  
"That is what we have to find out. That was what Zidane told me... that everyone has to find his or her own purpose."  
  
Melody was silent. A purpose... they had one before. Maybe Zidane was right, they were controlled like mindless dolls, but they still had a purpose. She was not sure that she could find another one.  
  
"We have to try," Mikoto continued. "There is nothing else that we can do. The others are scared too, and so am I. But we cannot help it. We just have to try." Then she left Melody at the grave.  
  
"But how?"  
  
* * *  
  
The sun still shone bright on the sky, but the shadows had grown in length in the past hours. It would soon start to get darker, but Melody had still not returned to the village. She sat not far from the graves, and watched the sky. She thought of the beautiful crystals in her own lost world, the blue light... she shook her head in irony, as she had imagined that she would miss the unpleasant blue light as she did now. How long had she been here? Almost two days... the Alexandrian soldiers had used the first day to freight the genomes to this city on the airships, and to make sure that everything worked, as it should. Zidane had not been there. Mikoto said that he had found his purpose, and that he hadn't returned. But the girl had been there. Garnet... or was it Dagger? But she left with the smallest of the black mages, a little girl, and some others. One of them had looked like a mouse or something.  
  
"My God, this is a maze!"  
  
Melody jumped up in surprise, as she heard the voice. She did not recognise it, and someone was struggling through the forest. She did not know if to hide or wait, and doubted that an overwhelming danger would swear, and have so much trouble finding its way. But this was sure a weird place.  
  
"Look were you're going!" a new voice yelled - female. "You almost stabbed me there!"  
  
And they were fighting. Melody jumped upwards and grabbed a branch, hanging from the tree. Then she swung backwards, and grabbed another branch with her tail. Standing on the lowest of the branches, she watched as two persons came out from the trees. It was a man and a woman.  
  
"Finally some air!" the man sighed, and stretched his arms. He was wearing a long black coat with golden robes on its chest, and his silver- hair was gathered in a short ponytail on his back. Tired he sheathed his sword on his back, and waited for the woman.  
  
"Yeah right! We're still surrounded by trees, if you had not noticed it already." She shook her head, and sat down on a trunk. She had long brown hair that was held tightly with a white band, before it spread out in a ponytail. At her side a heavy two-handed sword rested, and she wore a long white cloak from her waist, and long brown leather-gloves.  
  
"Well, why not make a camp here, then?" he asked. "You look tired, milady."  
  
"Shut up, dumbass," she hissed. "You need it as much I do."  
  
"Can't help being a gentleman..."  
  
"Yeah right," she repeated.  
  
Melody narrowed her eyes, watching them closely. They had weapons. And it was obvious that they knew how to use them - the woman reminded her of one of the soldiers onboard one of the airships. The other soldiers had called her "general". In pure curiosity she leaned nearer, and suddenly the branch creaked alarmingly under her weight.  
  
"What was that?" The woman jumped on her feet, hands on the hilt of the sword.  
  
The man shrugged. "Take it easy, Jaileen. Its probably just a... monkey, or something."  
  
"Monkey?" She gave him a sceptical look. "Right."  
  
Melody grabbed a branch further up to get back her balance, and the branch creaked again. She was going to fall! With a crack the branch broke, and almost hit the man in his head. They both stared up in surprise as Melody hung from a branch in one arm.  
  
"Heh," the man said. "I was right - a monkey."  
  
Jaileen unsheathed her sword, and held it ready in both hands. The weight did not seem to bother her, as she took a step forward. Melody fought in the air with her free arm, trying to get a better hold on the branch. But her hand was slipping...  
  
"Not good at climbing though," he remarked as Melody landed on the ground with a bump, leaves flying in all direction around her.  
  
Her entire body aching Melody tried to stand up, but frowned when Jaileen held the tip of the sword near her throat.  
  
"Take it easy," the man started, but Jaileen stopped him with a hiss.  
  
"Shut up Jack, and get useful."  
  
Jack walked nearer looking down at Melody, who frowned in fear. *They are going to kill me,* she thought.  
  
"Aw, look! It's a girl!" he said in an amused tone. "Hey, what are you afraid of? It's not like she's going to stab you with something."  
  
"Who are you?" Jaileen asked, ignoring Jacks words.  
  
Melody closed her eyes, ready to feel the cold blade in her heart as she saw Jack draw his own shining sword. Instead he pushed Jaileens great blade away with his own, before sticking it into the ground. He brushed a glove- covered hand through his silver-hair, before looking at Melody with his dark eyes.  
  
"Well, my little friend," he asked more kindly. "Better tell us something before she stabs you."  
  
Melody didn't say a word, but stared at them. Why did they do this anyway?  
  
Jack laughed and shrugged. "You see? She doesn't even understand what we're saying."  
  
Jaileen looked suspiciously at Melody. "I thought you said that this was 'uncharted territory'. That means desolate, right?"  
  
"Guess what? I was wrong." He turned against Melody once again, and held out his hand. "Get up, little fella. Then we'll find out where you're from."  
  
She stared at his hand without trusting the man one bit. Then she stood up without his help, and brushed some leaves of her shirt. "I do not need your help."  
  
Jaileens sword moved before anyone noticed it, and pointed at Melody's heart. "Yeah right, she doesn't understand us, huh?"  
  
"Well, I was wrong again." Jack scratched head thinking. "But maybe we shouldn't..."  
  
"And if you're wrong again?"  
  
Melody did not move, her tail going from side to side. In her head she was planning what to do next. She thought of the Alexandrian soldiers - they had not been that hostile. And when she was alone between the trees and owls she had been scared; but now the fear did not appear. If she had to fight, that was what she would do, like when she saved the boy from the spider.  
  
"Yeah, maybe she's got a tail," he continued thoughtfully, "But that doesn't mean she's an alien or some kind of a fighting machine, eh?"  
  
Fighting machine? That was what someone had once called the black mages, she had heard. That was some of the soldiers had been talking about. But still, the same thought returned to Melody: the soldiers left - these humans were not supposed to be here. And they were talking differently.  
  
"Why are you here?" she asked.  
  
Jaileen looked surprised by the question, but Jack only laughed once more. "Seems like we think alike, doesn't it? Like, we came here asking what she is doing here, and like, she was here first, eh?"  
  
"What do you mean?"  
  
"What I mean is, that we may have entered her territory. Like, she has a good reason *not* liking us."  
  
Jaileen did not seem convinced that she should lower her sword.  
  
"Well, this is your home?" Jack then asked.  
  
Melody was unsure if to answer. She did not wish that they should find the village, and she did not trust that they were on the side of good. *Side of good?* she thought. *Who am I to say that? I was created to serve the side that appeared to be... evil. And so did the black mages. They were made of the wrong reason.*  
  
"Not the conversationalist." Jack looked as though he was thinking of what to say next. "Hm. You know of any treasures?"  
  
"Jack!" Jaileen gave him an angry gaze. "Control yourself!"  
  
"Hey, isn't that why we're here anyway?"  
  
"Treasures?"  
  
They stared at Melody again, Jack with a sneaky grin at his face. "Well, what is your name little fella?"  
  
"What are you now planning?" Jaileen snarled at him, not moving the sword an inch.  
  
He shrugged. "Don't you see the point?" he whispered in her ear. "As long as she doesn't know what treasures are, then she won't need or miss them, right?"  
  
"You're a bastard," she whispered back, but it did not sound as she meant it. "Maybe she just meant that there aren't any treasure here, hm?"  
  
"Great, then it's settled!" He looked at Melody again. "Well, isn't that a nice tail?"  
  
Melody stared surprised as she heard the question. She did her best to hide her tail behind her.  
  
"I'm sure that there's more of your kind around here - where do you live?"  
  
She thought of the graves just behind some of the trees nearby, and knew that they could find them anytime. But then she remembered how the soldiers had needed the mages help to find the village - it was hidden by their magic. "We do not need any company of yours," she answered coldly.  
  
"Ha! She talks funny!"  
  
"It's just because you talk so sluggishly," Jaileen reversed. "But you heard her, maybe they're hostile."  
  
"No," she quickly interrupted. "We do not wish to fight. There will never be a war again."  
  
The woman raised her eyebrow. "Again?" She lowered her sword a little. "You sure you're not from the Mist Continent?"  
  
"Hey, you know what?" Jack took the chance, and pushed Jaileens sword away as he went nearer Melody. "Why don't you join us? We're checking out this place... or not quite that. We're exploring. Travelling to experience the adventure, and maybe to find some treasure too."  
  
"Jack!"  
  
"Hey, that's the truth, right? Why travel without souvenirs? Well, the case is that we're hoping to explore this whole continent! Sounds exciting, right?"  
  
*Everything...* Melody realised that she was letting down her guard. They did not want to destroy the village. But she still did not trust them. *Everything...?*  
  
"What d'ya say?" Jack held his hand out, as if he wanted Melody to take it.  
  
She looked at the hand, confused. What did he want her to do? Should she hold her hand out also? "I..." She turned. The sky was darker now, and the village was looking for her, she knew it. The stranger was asking her if she wanted to leave the village with them.  
  
"You could always think about it," he continued, and lowered his hand again as nothing happened. "We'll make a camp here 'till tomorrow, okay?"  
  
She looked at them for the last time, before she disappeared between the trees.  
  
END OF CHAPTER 2 


	3. Weapons

Note: Yeah, I finally got some new chapters to show you! Hope you like them, there's more coming, even though you must wait some time again. (Having some computer problems.) Since the html in the first two chapters didn't work, I'm going to try something different (a hahah!). Look at this: Where words was supposed to be written in italic, I'm going to put *stars* around those word, inclusive when the characters *thinks*. Enjoy!  
  
CHAPTER 3: WEAPONS  
  
For the first time since Melody had arrived at the black mage village, she slept tightly that night. But it didn't last long, and when she woke up, the darkness of the early morning surprised her. She sat up in her bed, closing her eyes. Inside her head the remnants of the dream still lived... the magical blue light of Terra. Angrily she jumped out of bed, and went out of the inn. It was still dark, but some life was about to start in the village. Determined Melody went through the Black Cat Synthesis shops door - only a couple of sleeping genomes were there - and climbed the ladder inside. From there she had access to the roofs of the nearest houses. One of the other genomes had told her about this place, and this was the first time she saw it for herself.  
  
With a sigh she sat down on the rooftop, welcoming the loneliness there. The inn and other places were stuffed with genomes, and the mages were already building new houses for them. Today some of the genomes were meant to help.  
  
*What a special place,* she thought, holding out her hand. The early morning breeze moved through her hair, and continued into the forest. Everything here was so special - even the air. *What are you doing?* She shook her head, and buried it in her knees. *Like its really that nice? You almost liked it for a moment.*  
  
"Melody, aren't you coming?"  
  
She looked down, and saw that it was Mikoto once again. She looked away. "No."  
  
Mikoto was silent for a while. "The black mages could need your help. They are doing it for us."  
  
"No!"  
  
"Melody, I know how you feel. I am just trying to help you."  
  
She shook her head. "Then do not try any further." There was a pause, but Mikoto didn't leave. "I am leaving," Melody then said, and rose to her feet. Mikoto looked at her, puzzled.  
  
"Where are you going? There are not many places to go here."  
  
"No, Mikoto, I am leaving this place... I am..." She thought of the words that Jack had used the day earlier. "I am leaving so that I can travel and explore everything."  
  
Mikoto stared. "I do not know what you are talking about."  
  
"And I will not return." Then she jumped down from the rooftop, and left Mikoto there. The genome only stared after her, not knowing what to do.  
  
"Be safe," she then whispered. "And please change your mind and return some day. Who knows, maybe you can help us that way - to understand how to live in this world as Zidane did." She didn't know if Melody had heard her, as she walked away to join the other genomes.  
  
* * *  
  
Jaileen was packing, while Jack sat relaxed and watched her.  
  
"Why the rush?" he asked, playing with the straw in his mouth. "We just woke up."  
  
"We just ate," she answered in an irritated tone. "We have been up for hours, waiting for nothing. I say that we pack, and leave this dead place."  
  
"The trees are just... sick!" Jack stated, waving his hand around. "And I say we're staying. I've got this feeling that she could be important to us."  
  
"Your 'feelings' always get us into danger. Remember the dragon?"  
  
He chuckled. "Yeah. I remember that one... quite an adventure, eh?"  
  
She rose, staring at the sky. "It was madness. We almost got the girl killed!"  
  
"Well, I was right, wasn't I? She did control that dragon after all."  
  
"THAT'S NOT THE POINT!" Jaileen roared, and the sleeping owls nearby flew away in chock. "Even if she's coming, I want to be gone when she does! It's to dangerous and... and silly!"  
  
Jack smiled and nodded. "Too late, J! Look behind you."  
  
She turned around, and saw the tailed girl standing not far away. Her head turned red with anger as she faced Jack again. He stood up. "You're going too far! And don't EVER call me J again, capice?"  
  
He shrugged, and went towards the genome. "Hey, I knew that you would turn up!"  
  
Melody stared at them. She had spent hours in the forest, thinking. If she left, she would end up in a world she knew absolutely nothing about - but she had decided: she was going to the Iifa Tree. She knew that it was on the same continent as she was on, and Jack had said that they would go everywhere. That included the Iifa Tree, and when she got there she would find out what had happened to it. And maybe find her way back to where she belonged.  
  
"I am going with you," she then said. Jack turned towards Jaileen with a grin on his face.  
  
"Can't stop her now, can we?"  
  
Jaileen shook her head, and went to reach Melody her hand. "I am Jaileen, and this is... Jack. Promise me one thing - don't do everything he tells you, right?"  
  
Melody watched the hand. That was what Jack also had done the day before... she took a deep breath, and tried to hold her hand out in the same way. Jaileen took it immediately and shook it, before she let go as if it were the most normal thing to do in the world. Melody stared confused at her hand. What did it mean?  
  
"Can we leave now?" Jaileen then asked Jack. "You've got what you wanted, so let's get going."  
  
Jack nodded. "Oh, and you. what's your name anyway?"  
  
"Name?" Melody asked, surprised. ". Melody."  
  
"Ah, sweet!" he said. "Well, do you know how to fight?"  
  
"I do not fight!" she replied without hesitation. Jack waved his hands in defence.  
  
"Oh, no! I meant - defence yourself. You know, with a weapon. You'll need it, as there's a lot of monsters out there!"  
  
She looked down. Zidane had brought weapons and destroyed Kuja, they called the black mages weapons, and she had heard that the soldiers carried such items. "No, I do not know how to use a... weapon."  
  
Jack grinned at Jaileen. "Well," he then said thoughtfully, "... you could try this one." He took a long double-edged dagger from his side, and reached it towards Melody. "It fits your size!"  
  
Melody stared at the weapon a long time, before she took it. She tried holding it in her right hand, and watched the sunlight reflect in the blade. Then she swung it from side to side, wondering how he meant that it should protect her. It wasn't alive as the black mages had been.  
  
"There you are!" Jack applauded. "Looks like you're learning it! You see, Jaileen? Now we can go on."  
  
* * *  
  
They had travelled through the forest for days, before they realised that the trees were finally thinning out. Jack sat relieved on a trunk, closing his eyes.  
  
"I'm never going to enter a forest again! I can't even remember what the ocean looks like."  
  
"Yeah, and I'm sure that there's a lot of other things you don't know either," Jaileen said sarcastically.  
  
Melody walked a bit further, catching the first glimpse of the desert outside the forest - and the monster. Something big stood few steps away from the last trees, only a silhouette against the sharp sunlight. She narrowed her eyes, and walked a bit closer to see the beast. She saw strong hindlegs like those of the cat she had seen in the village, and wings like those of the owls in the forest - but the head... the beast was still hidden by the sun, but it had ears and a beak. *An owl with cat's legs?* she thought.  
  
"Hey!" Jack jumped from the trunk and drew his sword. "Melody, be careful!"  
  
Warned by his shout, Jaileen turned quickly. She also drew her sword as she saw the monster, and ran towards Melody. "Get away from there!"  
  
Melody turned against them, surprised by their warnings. Behind her the Griffin rose, and its green sparkling eyes stared at Melody and her companions. It stretched its wings, and opened its beak in a horrible screech. Melody turned back to face the Griffin, and was amazed by its beauty. She felt something hit her hard in the side, and she lay flat on the ground as the griffin's attack failed its goal. She looked up, and discovered that it was Jack who had saved her in time.  
  
"Are you mad?" he said as he got up and lifted his sword. "It's a griffin, a monster! I thought you knew - you live here after all."  
  
Melody rose. A monster. Like the Carve Spider at the village. She drew her dagger like Jack had done, but hesitated. *A weapon.* Suddenly she knew what it meant. *I do not want to be a weapon. Why attack something without a reason?*  
  
Jaileen ran towards the griffin, but her sword missed its target. The giant bird-lion now stood on its hindlegs, and used the wings as a weapon. Jack tried to attack it in the side, but the griffin saw him, and held out one of its claws. Before anyone could react a magical Aera attack struck him to the ground.  
  
"No!" Jaileen yelled, and tried to get to her friend. The griffin swept her away with a claw, and was about to make the finishing blow.  
  
"Jack!" Melody felt herself shouting as she ran towards the monster. The sight of her friends loosing the battle had given her reason enough to attack. Without thinking further about her actions she jumped and lounged her dagger against the throat of the griffin. The beast got out of reach in the last minute, but it was obviously startled. Melody landed, but did not rest before she rolled forwards and slashed the dagger upwards against the stomach of the monster, like she had done with the spider. With a bleeding wound the griffin tried to retreat backwards, but Melody was quickly standing again. Behind her Jaileen hurried to check Jacks state, and she turned to look at them. Jack sat and leaned on his one arm, rubbing his head. Jaileen looked worried as she asked if he was all right.  
  
"Its okay," he answered with an annoyed tone. "Watch out, you!"  
  
Melody nodded, and turned against the griffin again. It was about to fly away. "No," she whispered. "You stay here!" She ran after the griffin trying to hit its chest with her dagger. She only wounded the wing as it avoided the attack, but it was enough to slow the griffin. It blew her to the ground with a powerful gust from its healthy wing, and summoned a magical wind to heal itself with. Melody was blinded by the sand that flew up around the griffin because of the strong gusts, and didn't see as it slashed out with its sharp claws. When she opened her eyes again, the griffin fell to the ground, Jaileens sword buried deep in its side. Jack walked up to them.  
  
"Heh, I thought you didn't know how to use a weapon."  
  
Melody looked up at him, but regretted it immediately. Instead she looked down at the dusty ground.  
  
Jaileen watched Melody closely. "You're something," she said thoughtfully. "And I've got a feeling that we haven't seen it all yet."  
  
"Oh, and thanks for caring when that griffin got me J," Jack started.  
  
"Didn't I tell you not to call me J?" Jaileen screamed.  
  
Melody stared at them, confused.  
  
END OF CHAPTER 3 


	4. Conte Petie

CHAPTER 4: CONTE PETIE  
  
It was evening, and complete darkness covered the desert. Jack and Jaileen sat around the fire, Jaileen restlessly poking into the flames with the tip of her sword. Jack leaned back on his elbows, looking at the stars. Melody stood some steps away, looking into the darkness.  
  
"Interesting?" Jack asked, laughing, and looked at Melody. "Darkness really is amazing."  
  
"Let her alone," Jaileen interrupted sending Jack an angry glance.  
  
Melody's tail waved uneasily from one side to another. There was something. in that direction. yes that was it.  
  
"So, where are we going?" Jaileen asked. "I don't see any adventure here in the desert. If the rest of the continent looks like this, I'm going to kill you Jack."  
  
"This way." They both turned their heads against Melody, and watched her with the surprise clearly shown in their faces. Melody pointed into the darkness of the night. It looked like they waited for Melody to explain further, but she didn't say anymore.  
  
"Hm." Jack raised his eyebrows. "Why not. Better than nothing, I would say."  
  
Jaileen followed Melody's direction with her eyes. "If I remember this right, I saw some tall cliffs that way. Near the point where we left the forest."  
  
"Its definitely better than this flat desert. Do you know what we will find in that direction?"  
  
Melody looked into the darkness once again. *What I have been looking for,* she thought. *Maybe this is what can show me, what has happened. And maybe answer my questions.*  
  
Jack sighed as he realised that he wouldn't get any answer from Melody, and prepared himself to sleep. "Let's see what tomorrow brings."  
  
* * *  
  
The next day they started travelling in the direction Melody had shown them: north. Melody walked by Jacks side.  
  
"It would be nice to something else than this never-ending desert," he sighed.  
  
"Desert," Melody repeated, and thought through the meaning of the word.  
  
Jack looked down at her. "What did that mean?"  
  
Confused, she looked back at him. "Desert? This is a desert. is it not?"  
  
"It is. you never saw one?"  
  
"Does the rest of the world look like this?" she asked without answering. The thought of explaining what she was didn't please. And since they had not recognised her as a genome, they didn't know about her kind yet.  
  
He looked away. "No. not where I came from. The woods lived, and grass covered the ground. And Mist. Until it dissapeared."  
  
"Mist?" She burst out, shocked. "Oh."  
  
"You know what that is, but you have never seen a desert?" Jack asked in disbelief.  
  
She shook her head. "I do not know Mist," she lied.  
  
Jaileen who had gone ahead, waited for them. "Look," she said, pointing. In the horizon they saw a wall of brown cliffs, as the ground grew in level. In the north mountains blocked the way. "There's no way past those mountains," Jaileen said to Melody. "Unless you want to travel around them, if that's even possible."  
  
Melody watched the cliffside. "We could go up there. Maybe there is a way."  
  
They agreed. "Oh, and I saw some plants. Looks like the ground gets more nutritious in that direction," Jaileen continued. "And there's another forest on the way up."  
  
"That's just great," Jack mumbled as they continued.  
  
* * *  
  
They had travelled for two days, and rested at the outskirts of a small forest. Jaileen had once again taken the chance to scout the nearest surroundings, and sat in the cool shadow of a tree, cutting something out from a piece of wood. Melody looked over his shoulder, and tried to find out what it was supposed to look like.  
  
"What are you doing?" she asked.  
  
He laughed. "You really are something! I'm making a figure out of the wood."  
  
"Why?"  
  
He was quit for a moment. "Why? Well. I'm bored. I like doing it." He watched the wood in his hand, and smiled. "And it's a gift."  
  
"A gift?"  
  
"Don't you know anything? People give each other gifts. To show their gratitude, or their feelings."  
  
"And this one is for Jaileen?"  
  
Jack hid the piece of wood in a pocket inside his coat, and tried to hide his embarrassment. "Don't tell her. It's our secret, OK?"  
  
She nodded, and saw Jaileen coming closer.  
  
"Not a word!" Jack repeated. "Gifts have to be a surprise!" He rose and waited for Jaileens report.  
  
"See that over there?" she asked and pointed.  
  
"Looks like a giant rock," Jack mumbled.  
  
Jaileen sighed, patiently. "It looks like its man-made. And its big - a village perhaps? And that close to the edge?"  
  
"Get to the point."  
  
"We might have found some way to get past the mountains, Jack! If someone really lives here, they could tell us something. Melody talks like us, so why not?"  
  
Melody forgot all about their conversation, as she heard something nearby. It sounded like voices. Maybe the people Jaileen was talking about?  
  
"What do you say, Melody?" Jaileen asked. "Does it sound reasonable?" No respond. "Melody?"  
  
"There is someone. On the other side of the forest - or perhaps inside."  
  
Jack followed the shown direction. "Hm? So far from the village?"  
  
"I didn't see other villages," Jaileen replied. "Maybe nomads?"  
  
"Or treasure hunters." He saw Melody run in between the trees, and nodded to Jaileen. "Come on, let's check it out."  
  
It did not take long to pass through the forest, and the group stopped just before the trees stopped. Before them stood the three men they had heard, and discussed loudly. All three had weapons - a crossbow, a sword and mace.  
  
"Doesn't look like natives," Jack whispered. "Looks like they're here of the same reason as us."  
  
"You've got a way of saying things," Jaileen answered, her voice lowered too. "You were right from the beginning. Treasure hunters."  
  
Melody looked at them the same reason? She didn't believe that. The group before them appeared hostile and angry. Jack and Jaileen had never seemed like they wanted to hurt anyone. She also wondered what a treasure hunter could be. "What do they want?" she asked.  
  
Jaileen had been listening to their words, and sighed. "They haven't found the 'village', and they are blaming the leader for sending them out into a desert." She gave Jack a glare, while he did his best to look like he didn't know what she meant. "Maybe we should leave."  
  
Jack nodded. "Right. I would like avoiding trouble when we can."  
  
They both walked back into the forest, but Melody stayed. She did not like the men at all, and she felt angry when she looked at them. Were they - evil?  
  
"Melody, hurry! We have to move on!"  
  
Melody turned towards Jaileens voice and left the men behind, hoping that she didn't have to meet with them again.  
  
* * *  
  
"Who would built something this. sorry to use the word, stupid!" Jack said, watching the village in front of them.  
  
"I wonder how they did it," said Jaileen.  
  
They stood in front of a village made of yellow stone, and built upon something that looked like two giant roots, which lead from the edge of the cliff to the mountains on the other side of the deep canyon.  
  
"Do we go inside?"  
  
"Only if you don't call the village 'stupid' when talking to the inhabitants," the reply sounded.  
  
Jack made an innocent face. "You really think I would do that?"  
  
"Come on, let's get this over with!" Jaileen walked past Jack, who grinned.  
  
"I love when you ignore me!"  
  
Jaileen was the first to walk up on the giant root that leads to the entrance, and Jack walked right after her. Melody hesitated, and then took the first step.  
  
"Have you noticed anything?" she heard Jack ask.  
  
"What now?" Jaileen sighed.  
  
"These roots looks like those back home in Alexandria! You know, where the Mist came from."  
  
Melody stiffened, and stared at the root underneath her. This was it. Now she was positive that this was the way that leaded to her goal - the roots of the Iifa Tree itself!  
  
"Melody, are you still with us?" Jaileen asked. Melody caught up with at the entrance, and eyed two guards - two very small guards - that stood on each side. Jack tried to walk up to them.  
  
"Um, hi guys."  
  
"Rally - ho!" the first guard said. Jack stared.  
  
"Well, rally - ho to you too."  
  
The guard stepped aside, and Jack shrugged to his two friends. "Guess I'm going in!" he said. Jaileen tried to follow, but the other guard stopped her.  
  
"Oh, smart," she said under her breath, before she repeated: "Rally - ho." As she came in, she turned to Melody. "Just repeat that, I guess its what lets us come in."  
  
"Yup," Jack said as Melody gained access. "Who would've guessed that and extremely intelligent race of dwarfs lived here!" He almost fell over, as Jaileen punched him in the side.  
  
"Shut up, you! We have to find the way through here. Maybe we can buy some rations here too."  
  
END OF CHAPTER 4 


	5. Trouble

CHAPTER 5: TROUBLE  
  
Getting through wasn't as easy as they had hoped. Neither was communicating. Jack and Jaileen had left Melody inside something that looked like fruitshop, while they tried to find out more about the village. Melody sat on the stairs, and stared suspiciously at her surroundings. There were two exits, and another dwarf trying to sell his fruits. He looked back at her, and she decided to look at the ceiling instead.  
  
iThis world keeps getting more and more unattractive,/i she thought. iI can not wait until we reach our goal./i For a moment she was surprised of her own words. iNo! Until *I* reach *my* goal!/i she corrected herself. iI just followed them. they do not even care, for sure./i  
  
"Want some of me fruits?" the dwarf suddenly asked.  
  
Melody stared, unable to answer.  
  
"Fruits 'r good for ye!"  
  
"No thank you," Jack said, as he walked into the fruitshop and past the dwarf. He sat down beside Melody. Jaileen followed him, and looked at both of them.  
  
"Looks like this is a dead end," she said. "We can't get through - whatever lies beyond this village, they call it the 'sanctuary', and only those who has gone through the 'ceremony' can enter."  
  
"And the best part is," Jack continued, "that this 'ceremony' means 'wedding'. Married couples goes on their honeymoon in the sanctuary."  
  
Melody jumped up from her seat, angry. "But we have to get through!"  
  
"There may be a way." Jack started, but Jaileen silenced him with an angry glare.  
  
"I wouldn't marry you Jack, not even for a day! And if we did, we still have to get Melody through."  
  
Jack watched Melody thoughtfully. "We could go through the ceremony. maybe we could make some kind of show at the exit, and get Melody out that way."  
  
The sound of angry voices made them all turn around, and look in the direction of the entrance. "I thought this was a peaceful village," he said.  
  
"That's not dwarfs, Jack!" Jaileen replied, holding her hand ready near the sword. "Its people like us." She hurried through the stony hallways with Jack and Melody behind her, and soon reached the same place where they had been greeted by dwarfs the day before. The dwarfs had been kind and merry, only claiming a single password before they - totally strangers - could enter their home. Now one of the dwarfs screamed as he was pulled up by an angry man, yelling into the ears of the frightened dwarf. The other two tried to go nearer, but the first persons two companions warned them with their weapons.  
  
"It's them," Jaileen said, her eyes narrowing. "The treasure hunters."  
  
"What in earth are you doing!?" Jack shouted, surprised. The first and largest of the three men dropped the dwarf, who landed with another high pitched scream on the ground. Then it started to swear, and hid behind a rock. The leader laughed.  
  
"Look, were not alone!" he said, staring at Jack. "Seems like we were late."  
  
Jaileen stepped forward, and tried to give the last two dwarf a signal to hide, like the first had done. They only stared back with a stupid look in their eyes. Then they ran down the hallway, screaming some kind of warning to the other dwarfs. "You're right, late you were. Too late for brains!" she snarled. "Can't you see that was unnecessary?"  
  
"They're only stupid dwarfs," he said, pointing out the whole village with his hand. "And this town is filled with stupid dwarfs, trying to block our way. Don't say you're trying to do that too."  
  
His too companions laughed, and one of them pointed at them with his crossbow. The other swung his mace from side to side.  
  
"You can't kill them!" Jaileen shouted. "There's no reason."  
  
"The treasure is reason enough! I'm sure didn't come all the way out here just for the show either, did you? And this is only an obstacle on our way, right guys?"  
  
The man with the crossbow grunted, and smiled. "Yeah, we're here for the big price."  
  
Jack sighed. "Who told you that there's a great price in this worthless desert? You looking for sand maggots?"  
  
"The same who told you, Jack!" the leader snarled. "The Tree of power, you know what I'm talking about."  
  
Melody's eyes grew wide. The tree of power? How.  
  
"You stay out of my business," Jack replied, his voice angry. "You don't know anything about my reasons! I'm not letting you through here."  
  
"Kill them," the leader commanded, unsheathing his sword. "You should never had stepped into my way!"  
  
Melody looked at Jack and Jaileen, and saw that they too drew their swords. "Be ready to protect yourself," Jack said to her. "This is serious." She looked back at the men, and took her long dagger in one hand. Then she concentrated on her enemies, waiting for them to attack.  
  
The first thing heard was the roar of one of the companions, who immediately fired his crossbow against Jaileen. She managed to throw herself aside while blocking with her double-handed sword, and the arrow was stopped with the sharp sound of metal against metal. Jack quickly lunged at the crossbow-man before he could get ready for another shot, but was soon thrown aside by the one with a mace. The leader stood ready, swinging his sword against Jacks head. He almost fell over, parrying the attack with his own sword. Soon they started a one-on-one challenge, exchanging sword-blows. Meanwhile Jaileen attacked the guy with the mace, trying to stop him from attacking Jack in the back. That was when Melody finally interrupted. The crossbow-man tried to hit Jaileen with the handle of his crossbow, when Melody reacted quick as a lightning. She jumped forward, kicking into his side. He rolled over with a roar of surprise, staring at the small size that had attacked him. Melody narrowed her eyes and got into a ready position. The man drew his knife and attacked, mad that she had surprised him. None of them had expected anything from Jack and Jaileens little companion.  
  
Melody ducked, and rolled into the attackers legs. He fell heavily on the stone-ground with a thud, but recovered quicker than she had thought. He rolled over, cutting a hole in the air with his knife. Melody didn't get away in time, and felt the sharp blade slicing into her arm. With a scream she held her bleeding arm, and fell back. Her attacker laughed in blood thirst, and got up knocking his fist into the side of her head. She was knocked over, and lied still on the ground. Believing that she was done for, he soon concentrated on loading the crossbow. Meanwhile, Jaileen had succeeded in disarming her opponent, and was ready to knock him out for good. The crossbow-man aimed for her head with a grin, and placed his finger on the trigger.  
  
He felt a singing pain in his head, followed by a cloud of darkness as his consciousness failed. He landed on the ground a second time, looking up. Melody rose in front of him, after kicking him hard in the head. She still held her left arm in a tight grip to stop the blood, and the dagger was lying on the ground. Desperately he tried to cover his face, feeling the fear crawl through him when he saw into her dark angry eyes. Then everything turned black.  
  
Melody stood still for a couple of seconds, trying to regain her breath. Then she turned away from the man that she had knocked out, and looked for her companions. Jaileen had cornered her opponent, but Jack seemed to be in trouble. He was still fighting equally with the leader, but it was obvious that he was getting tired. For a second Melody felt like she was passing out, but regained her consciousness with the help of her willpower. Then she ran toward the back of the leader and jumped. He roared in surprise as she swung her arms around his neck, and held onto his back. He backed away from Jack, trying to get Melody off, but she used her advantage and used her monkey-like tail to grab around one of his legs. He fell over, and she got thrown off in the impact, rolling over the ground. The leader jumped up, and saw his last conscious companion flee from the battlefield. The he snarled, and grabbed the crossbow-man before he ran down the root of Conte- Petie together with his companion. Melody saw them disappear, and sighed in relief. Then she looked down and her arm, and almost blacked out.  
  
"Melody?" she heard a voice call, but could no longer remember who it belonged to, as she lost consciousness.  
  
* * *  
  
"Melody!"  
  
She looked up, through the blue cloud, trying to figure out who was talking.  
  
"What are you doing? I thought I told you to return here, when you were done with your trip."  
  
She saw her. She was coming nearer, and so was the surroundings - blue buildings and the water.  
  
"But I am back," Melody replied, finding her voice oddly distant. "I returned. home."  
  
Mikoto stopped, and leaned her head to the side. She looked concerned. "But you are not home. You are far away. Too far away."  
  
"No!" Melody screamed. "This is my home! This is where I was born, and where I belong!"  
  
The genome closed her eyes, and shook her head. "No. This is not our home, not anymore. This is far away now, too far away."  
  
* * *  
  
".It is too far away."  
  
Melody opened her eyes, and the blue sky was replaced with the brown roof of the dwarf village. She closed her eyes again, trying to summon the vision from her dreams. Around her she heard voices that she didn't recall. Or maybe she did.  
  
"But I don't care. Not anymore. Can't you see that this may be the key? That we actually are on the right track?"  
  
A quick movement. "I cannot see what is going on with you!" An angry woman's voice. Jaileen. "I thought you had promised not to even think about that subject again! It is total madness! And leave the girl out of this."  
  
A sigh from nearby her side. She heard him move uncomfortable in his seat, and recognised Jack without listening further to his voice. "I. I'm sorry. But if they're looking for it, we have to be careful. I just wonder. if she knows anything." He was looking at her, she could feel it. "She has led us in this exact direction all the time, the same as that they followed. Through the mountains, do you remember that?"  
  
A striking, hurtful silence followed. "If you do this Jack, I will not pay for the consequences. If you as much as show the tiniest interest in. then I will no longer be on your side."  
  
He moved, maybe a nod. No other words were spoken, and she heard Jaileen walk over beside her. "Has she changed?"  
  
"I don't think so. She sleeps."  
  
Melody sighed, and heard Jaileens surprised reaction. "Melody?" She opened her eyes once again, and looked up into Jaileens face. She decided to act like she hadn't heard their conversation, and rose slowly. She stopped as she felt sudden pain in her left arm, and looked down at it. Someone had taken care of her wound, and had bound a tight bandage around it. She looked at the two again.  
  
"You scared the hell out of us back there," Jack said, smiling. "Blood all over the place - you even covered that mans face in blood! We were lucky they only hit you in the arm."  
  
Jaileen nodded. "You should rest some more, we still have to think of a way to get out here."  
  
"Where are we?" was all Melody could ask.  
  
The female knight looked around in the small room, filled out with a big round table and four beds. "This is one of the dwarfs houses. They gave us the right to put you here, as they almost look at us as heroes!"  
  
"Heroes?" Melody looked down and wondered, as she had done so many times before.  
  
"Yeah," Jack replied. "We saved them from the villains, right? You are a hero when you do something great or good. Especially if you save people."  
  
Jaileen laughed. "Of course she knows that, Jack. You don't have to explain everything to us."  
  
END OF CHAPTER 5 


	6. Sanctuary

CHAPTER 6: SANCTUARY  
  
"Now, don't forget what you're supposed to be," Jack said watching Melody closely.  
  
"I am a." She looked up at him to seek the answer.  
  
"A thief. Remember what I told you about that."  
  
Melody nodded and looked down to secure that her dagger was in place. She remembered how Jack had explained what thieves were like, and that she in the end had answered that she thought that they were called 'treasure hunters'. That had caused Jacks face to get all red, before he began explaining the many differences. Melody still did not see how different the two things were, but decided not to think about it. There were still so many things to understand. *Why bother?* she said to herself. *You do not have to worry about those things - just play along until you reach your goal.* But still she could not help feeling a bit of excitement. Both when learning about all those things, and when thinking of what was going to happen now.  
  
Jack sighed. "I wonder what has become of Jaileen? I hope she haven't changed her mind."  
  
"What is 'wedding'?" Melody asked, as she checked her left arm. The bandage had been taken off the day before, after she had been carrying it for three days. Her wounds had almost healed already, which also surprised Jack and Jaileen a lot.  
  
He stared at her for a while. "Eh, I don't think I can explain that very well. You do know 'love' don't you?" He moaned at the sight of her confused expression. "Well, that's a lot harder. Love is. when to people meet and care about each other. You know, like each other VERY much, so much that one can't live without the other. That is love. Afterwards comes the wedding, when the two lovers decide to stay together forever."  
  
"Like you and Jaileen?"  
  
Jack turned all red again, while he looked around to make sure that no one listened. "I wouldn't quite."  
  
"But you like each other, and you stay together. You even go through the ceremony together now." She gave him an accusing stare.  
  
"I." He discovered that Jaileen was on her way over, and sighed in relief. "Just leave the subject for now. You remember the plan?"  
  
She nodded again, looking at the exit further away. Another shop was lying there, and two guards was making sure that no one left without permission. "I hide here. When you return to talk with the guards, I will be the thief."  
  
Jack smiled proudly. "Exactly. Now let's get going."  
  
Jaileen gave him a stare. "Don't expect anything, just because I'm doing this. It's only because there's no other way to get through."  
  
"Of course!"  
  
* * *  
  
Melody sighed, and looked up at the sky. The sun had moved quite a bit since Jack and Jaileen had left her here. She wondered how the ceremony worked. Then she looked back at the exit from her hideout behind the corner, and eyed the shopkeeper. *I just have to take one of his things,* she said to herself. *And then run for it. Cannot be very hard.* She almost thought that they would never come, when she heard voices nearby. Quickly and without a sound she closed in on the small shop and looked past the small shopkeeper: then she tried to pick something out that she could steal.  
  
The shop sold different small weapons and shields, both for fighting and for show. Then she eyed something on the back wall - it was a long black dagger with a dark-blue handle, and mysterious patterns in the same blue colour, and she had set her mind. That was the thing she was going to steal. Now she was sure that she heard voices, now from the hallway near her. They were coming. With a last glance at the dagger, she hid near the counter of the shop. That was just in time, as she saw her two friends coming around the corner. Jack looked around, and she could see on his face that he was worried that she had left. Then she concentrated on the shop.  
  
The two guards greeted Jack and Jaileen, and immediately gave them permission to pass, while the shopkeeper stared after them, curiously. Melody took the chance, and walked up behind him. Without a sound she managed to reach up and grab the dagger, just as Jack spotted her. He stared in surprise, but was stopped with a hard punch in the side from Jaileen. Proudly Melody sheathed the dagger in her old weapons place, and looked at the shopkeeper. Then she turned, and ran right past him.  
  
"Wha." the dwarf stared, and then started to roar in anger. "Thief! Another Thief!"  
  
The guards spun around, but no-one got the chance to grab Melody as she ran by. Jack looked at Jaileen. "Doesn't seem like she needs our help, does it?"  
  
She shrugged. "Nah."  
  
* * *  
  
"There you are!"  
  
Melody turned around, and discovered that Jack and Jaileen was running towards her. She smiled. "It worked."  
  
"Are you out of your mind?" Jack yelled, and sat down on a large brown rock. "You only had to take something nearby - not the hardest thing to get in the whole shop! That was dangerous, you know?"  
  
"Actually, it surprises me that you're saying that," Jaileen added flatly. Jack ignored her.  
  
Melody looked down at her prize. "I still made it."  
  
He sighed. "Yeah, as always."  
  
"So now we're in the 'Sanctuary'." Jaileens eyes followed the stony path in front of them, and laughed. "At least there's plants here!"  
  
"You're still sure about which direction we have to go?" Jack asked, looking at Melody.  
  
She nodded. "That way."  
  
He looked at Jaileen, as if Melody's answer had been some kind of evidence. Jaileen walked past him without a word. "Then let's get going while the sun is still up."  
  
The path was surrounded by the brown mountains, and Melody discovered that the ground was made of the same yellow roots that had held Conte Petie high against the sun. At some places, smaller roots even ran over their heads with vines and plants hanging down from them. She smiled without noticing herself, knowing that it was proof that she was on the right track. Jaileen was also in a good mood, as she watched the changing surroundings. She even laughed as she picked up a purple flower from a bush.  
  
"Oh, I have missed the blessings of life!" she said with a dreaming voice. "Its so nice to see a place with life and plants after the long travel through the desert!"  
  
"Be aware," Jack added. "The desert had life enough, or rather - trouble. Lets not hope that this place is as friendly as it looks." He looked up at the sky, and relaxed himself. "I wonder if others has settled won in the mountains?"  
  
Jaileens shrugged. "Hardly. If the rest of the path is as narrow, there wouldn't be any room for settlements. If they even thought of going this way - or could." She suddenly looked down at Melody with a look as if she remembered something. "Melody, how could you be so sure about this place anyway? You seemed quite confident about going to the mountains."  
  
The smile disappeared abruptly as she tried to figure out what to say. Could she tell them the truth? But what would they know about her world, or her feelings about the other place. They would not understand - they would stop her. Like Mikoto. "Uh." she stammered, but got interrupted by Jack.  
  
"You don't remember, Jaileen? She lives on this god-forsaken continent. Maybe she travelled here before! We don't even know what she knows about this place!"  
  
Jaileen was silent for some time, watching Melody carefully. But then she nodded. "You've been here? Then maybe you could tell us where the path leads us."  
  
*What now?* Melody thought, and looked up. Then she saw a glimpse of shining water ahead and pointed. "Not much further than this river," she said.  
  
"Hm," was Jaileens reply. "Not bad. Lets rest there."  
  
* * *  
  
The stars upon the night-sky glittered on the surface of the mountain- river, laying out a beautiful carpet of floating, shiny dots. The gentle breeze swayed the exotic flowers, and the vines that hung down from the giant root that created a natural bridge across the water. Among the lights of the bright stars, the pale moon and the buzzing pyre-flies, was the light of a small campfire, lighting up three persons sitting beside the bridge and the shining river. One of them, a female knight with her longsword laying beside her, threw a small stone into the river, spreading small rings that stirred the silent beauty of the stars for a few moments. As the water was once again calm, she sighed deeply.  
  
"I understand why they named it the Sanctuary," she said. "It is so peaceful here."  
  
Jack nodded, watching her sitting by the riverside. The flames of the campfire made him look like a ghost with his white hair and pale skin. *A sad ghost.* thought Melody. She looked away from her partners, and wondered what would await them on the other side of the river. *I wonder how long it will take. when I will be there.*  
  
Then she rose, and walked up on the bridge. She stopped on the highest part, and looked into the darkness. Then she looked up at the horizon, searching for something that would reveal the position of her goal. Her thoughts were interrupted by Jaileens worried voice:  
  
"You shouldn't go too far away, Melody!" she called. "It could be dangerous. We don't know what lurks in the dark."  
  
"Maybe you should rest," Jack said as she returned. "We walked all day, and you still need to recover."  
  
She looked down at her arm and the small bandage that was still there. She knew that she was a quick healer, and did not need the sleep because of her wound. And she also knew that Jack was aware of that as well. "I will do," she replied, thinking of the journey she had ahead of her. Soon. Then she curled herself up in front of the fire, and closed her eyes.  
  
Jack watched a while after she had fallen into sleep. "She sure is something," he said as he had done so many times before.  
  
Jaileen came and sat down by the fire as well. "You are right. I wonder what she really is. sometimes I doubt she is of our world!" She laughed. "I know it sounds silly."  
  
"It must be the tail!"  
  
They were silent for some time. "Jack, I feel that she is hiding something." It was Jaileen who broke the silence. "There is still a part of her, something hidden. A part that I fell I cannot trust. And I felt it from the day that she fell into our arms."  
  
"Hm," Jack replied thoughtfully. "You think there are more of her kind? We never found a village or settlement in that forest."  
  
"What if." she sighed. "What if you're right? What if she's really leading us to. the tree of power? Would you follow her if you knew?" Her eyes were now on Jack.  
  
He refused to see into her eyes, but stared at the flames instead. "I don't know. I really don't know."  
  
Jaileen looked back at the sleeping figure on the other side of the campfire. "Then we will have to find out."  
  
END OF CHAPTER 6  
  
Notes: Yes, I know that I changed the looks of the Sanctuary a bit. but I couldn't resist the thought of making it a bit more beautiful. And it is meant as a place for lovers, right? Well, anyway, hope you still like it. There is going to be some twists and turns in the following chapters, and the story is just about to start. Hope you'll keep reading, and that you won't need to wait too long! The new chapters WILL come! 


	7. The Tree of Life

CHAPTER 7: THE TREE OF LIFE  
  
It was a day just like the one before - the sun shone bright upon the mountains, and made sure that the three travellers would not walk in fear of needing enough warm clothes. Jack was as he used to be, talking freely to the two female listeners. But Jaileens walked on in deep thoughts without hearing or saying a word, and Melody did not hear him in her hop to see just a glimpse of her goal. That was when they had to stop at midday. In front of them the road was split in two, leading in two opposite directions. Jack moaned and sat down on a dusty rock, while Jaileen looked along the identical paths. Then she turned towards Melody.  
  
"Which way would you recommend this time?" It was the first thing she had said all morning.  
  
Melody looked around for a moment, as she found it - that special feeling, floating through the air. The one that showed her the way. "That way," she said and pointed at the left path.  
  
"You sure?" Jaileen asked.  
  
Melody looked up at her. "Yes?"  
  
Jack rose from the stone, as if he wanted to interrupt. But he didn't do anything. "Melody," Jaileen started. "I think that it perhaps is time for you to tell us where we're going."  
  
Melody stepped back in surprise and looked automatically at Jack, waiting for him to save her once again. But he was silent, and seemed to have found something interesting in the horizon. Then she looked back at Jaileen. "Leading you?" she asked.  
  
"Its not because I'm mad at you, Melody. Its just that. I think we ought to know. These last few days you have seemed very confident when showing us the way! You are leading us towards something, right?"  
  
*The Iifa Tree,* she thought. *But. I can not tell them. she will not understand. she will just. and Jack.* No word came out of her mouth, and her tail started wagging nervously from side to side. She felt like running away, travelling the rest of the way alone. *What do I need them for anyway? They will never understand. They can not help. They will get hurt.*  
  
"Maybe you should tell us." This time it was Jack who talked. He had a serious look in his face, that she had only seen a very few times before. "Maybe you have heard of the tree of power?"  
  
"Tree of Power?" she said in surprise. "The Iifa Tree." she whispered, looking down. *They know?*  
  
Jaileen bowed down with her hands leaning on her knees, as she was brought to the same height as Melody. "We just want to know if its there that you're bringing us. It is very important, Melody."  
  
"You do not want me to bring you there," Melody replied, as she remembered the conversation that she had heard that morning. "You fear it."  
  
"So I'm right?"  
  
Melody closed her eyes. "I am going to the Iifa Tree. You can follow me or not, but can not stop me."  
  
Jaileen and Jack looked at each other. "You knew all the time?" Jack asked. "But you never said anything, just acted like you knew nothing. Then why?"  
  
Jack sounded so dissapointed. *They will only get hurt,* she repeated in her mind. She squeezed her fists in anger. *They are already hurt. Because I followed them - and because I helped them. I was one of the. heroes.* "I. did not want you to know because. you would stop me. Like Mikoto."  
  
"Yes," Jaileen said. "We will stop you. That place isn't something for you or. anyone else." Jack tried to catch her attention, but she ignored it. "I don't know what you would ever seek there! Back in Alexandria. it is known as the source of the cursed Mist. As a gathering point of evil, unreal fantasies and. incredible power."  
  
"No! You do not know what it is, it is a lie! It is the tree of Life, the only way for me to." She turned away from Jaileen and ran. And she chose the left path, the one that lead to the Iifa Tree - the direction in which she could feel the tempting call.  
  
Jaileen stared after her in surprise. "Melody!"  
  
"Look what you did!" Jack yelled. "Don't stand there, we have to get her back."  
  
"What do you mean?"  
  
He looked into her eyes. "Forget your stupid fear - remember that Gav and his gang is going in the exact same direction. And I don't think they will welcome her with open arms after what she did at Conte Petie."  
  
She still hesitated as Jack gave up the pursuit. Then she looked back in the direction in which they had come, and decided. She made sure that her word was secured by her side, and followed them towards the Tree of Life.  
  
* * *  
  
Soon Melody slowed down, and stared at the incredible sight in front of her. A large silhouette in the form of a gigantic tree shot out of the horizon, with the sunlight streaming out from behind it. The Iifa Tree. It was not completely visible yet, but there was no doubt. She came to a complete stop, and stared in amazement. This was it! Soon. soon she would reach her final destination. She started to run again in excitement. Finally she would return home. but what if they were right? What if Terra was truly destroyed? For a moment she hesitated, afraid of what would happen when she reached the tree. But then she sped up the pace. She had to go there - she had to see it with her own eyes.  
  
It took her two days to finally reach the stony landscape near the tree itself - and still it was only a silhouette on the sky. Before she began to climb the rocks, she looked at the tree one more time, trying to recall what she had felt these last days. It was a message, and it had grown stronger the closer she came to the Iifa Tree. Something was calling her. But still, she could not make something out of it, and now there was nothing left of the call.  
  
She jumped up on the first rock, quickly climbing through the tough terrain. She felt her heart beating faster as she came closer, and soon she climbed up upon a large cliff in front of her. And then the ground stopped to exist. She was staring into and endless deep, covered in darkness. Slowly she looked up, and had to shield her eyes from the sun. Large roots was lying across the deep as bridges, securing the way to the tree itself - and incredible structure made of hundreds of roots, tangled into each- other. The top was without leaves, also made of these strange roots with layers of vines and other unknown plants. But what Melody had prepared as a yell of happiness, became a gasp of surprise. Her hand dropped, and she just stared without noticing the sharp light of the sun.  
  
"No." she whispered. The was no longer a tree of life, all colour had left vines and roots. Only the black and brownish colour of dead vegetation was left, and there was nothing left that indicated that Mist had once been produced here. Everything was dead. She dropped down on the stony ground, staring into the endless deep. The energy that had kept her going the last days was gone, and so was her hope. A last whisper escaped her lips: "I hate you."  
  
* * *  
  
"This is impossible," Jack moaned, and dropped down on the desert ground. "She's damn fast!"  
  
Jaileen still stood up, watching the horizon. "I wonder what she wants there," she said in deep thoughts, watching the silhouette of the cursed tree. "Didn't you get the impression that she had never heard about the power inside that shell?"  
  
Jack was lying flat on the ground now, staring at the sky. "I know! I know that I'll never say the word 'desert' when I finally get back to my beloved Alexandria!" He moved his head, and looked at Jaileen. "Didn't she call it 'Lifa', or something like that."  
  
"Iifa, the Tree of Life," she corrected without looking at him. "The only way to. what!? The only way to something."  
  
"Rest! That must be it. She chased through this continent just to rest underneath the pleasant shadow of the tree."  
  
"Please!"  
  
"Sorry." He got up and walked over to her side. "What do you suggest, then?"  
  
She sighed and shook her head. "I don't know. I cannot leave her, Jack! But she was right. I fear going to that cursed place. But." She turned towards him with the determination shining in her eyes. "If Gav and his gang is headed that way too, we have no choice. If they should ever find what power is said to hide inside the tree. and Melody cannot fight them alone."  
  
"Right!" Jack laughed. "And I never got to end that sword-fighting challenge."  
  
She gave him an accusing look as always, but this time it changed into pure worry. "Jack. be careful."  
  
He smiled. "Of course."  
  
They were silent for a moment, before Jaileen padded him on the shoulder. "Come on, its not far. We have to get there before our old friends."  
  
* * *  
  
*Melody.*  
  
Melody opened her eyes in surprise, staring into the dark night. There was something out there, a weak blue light. "Terra?" she whispered.  
  
*Hee.sss.kkk.jjj...heee.p.*  
  
It made as much sense at it had done the day before. She slowly rose from her spot on the cliff where her journey had stopped not too long ago, leaning on her arms. The she discovered the source of the light, somewhere far below. "Where? Terra?"  
  
*nnnn.oooo*  
  
"What has happened?"  
  
*Ddd..eee.aad.*  
  
She sighed in disappointment. "Yes. The life has left this place."  
  
*nnn.ooot..yee..*  
  
"But what is left?"  
  
*hhh.ppe.., kkkk.jjj*  
  
She rose on her feet, looking into the deep. She felt no anger, no reason to yell at what she could not understand. What if the message was never translated? What use could it be for? "What?" she still asked. "he?"  
  
"Over here!"  
  
The high and growling voice made Melody jump up in shock, realising that it was early morning and that the sun had gone up. *A dream,* she realised. *There was nothing down there. This place is dead, it was only a dream.* She looked into the darkness underneath her, and shivered at the thought of falling. What if there was no end, and you would fall in all eternity?  
  
"Look, there's someone there!"  
  
She turned and found the source of the yelling. Three men was climbing up the rocks further away, and one of them had seen her. She recognised him immediately as the leader of the gang in Conte Petie, but did not move. The rest of the gang looked up and saw her standing on the cliff.  
  
"Hey," one of them yelled. "Its that cursed girl from the dwarf-village! If she came here." he looked at his comrades.  
  
".Then Jack will be here somewhere too," the leader finished. "Take her." The crossbow-man started readying his crossbow, but the leader screamed at him. "Alive you fool! How can she show us where that coward is, if she's dead?"  
  
The two men finally got the message, and started climbing the cliffs while huffing and puffing. Melody stared down at them for a couple of moments, before she ran of. She jumped down unto the firm ground, and looked for a place to hide. Alone she could not take them all on, she knew that. Then she eyed a plain passageway between two cliffs, and ran along it. Maybe she could find a place to hide somewhere. the men were looking for Jack, but why? Who were they? How did they know Jack? The path took a turn, and suddenly she was staring into the dark deep of the Iifa Tree. She stopped in time, pushing some rubble over the edge. A blind end! She spun around and heard the three men coming closer. They would reach her in no time, and then she would be caught between them and the endless gap.  
  
She closed her fist around the handle of her dagger, her eyes narrowing. *But they will not get me without a fight,* she thought. *I will show them the power of a true weapon!* The rage build inside her, and she felt her power increasing. All this way, only to see her hope shattered. someone had to pay!  
  
"Melody!"  
  
The surprised and worried voice deleted all the power that had gathered inside her. Confused she looked up, and saw the face of the female knight looking down upon her. Jaileen was lying on her knees at the cliffs edge and reached a hand down towards Melody.  
  
"Melody, come on! I can get you away!"  
  
Melody hesitated. The sudden disturbance had made her insecure. She looked along the path and saw the three men coming. The crossbow-man stopped and aimed at her, while the other two continued forward to take her.  
  
"Melody, no!" Jaileen called.  
  
Suddenly a dark shape jumped down in front of the attacking men, sword slashing out towards them. The leader grinned. "So you finally came, Jack!"  
  
Melody gasped. No! He would die if he fought them alone! She jumped forward to help him, but the crossbow-man saw it, and shot at her in surprise. She felt pain bursting through her shoulder as the bolt strafed her, and was struck backwards by its force. She reached out to stop herself from falling, but realised that there was nothing to take a hold on. Soon she was falling into the dark deep of nothingness, with only one thing in her mind before she passed out:  
  
*I failed. I was not able to help them. when they finally needed me.*  
  
END OF CHAPTER 7 


	8. The Hunt

CHAPTER 8: THE HUNT  
  
The black mage village was finally calm again. Most of the new homes were done, and now the genomes could try the pleasure of moving into their own house. Still they had to live in pairs or more, but actually no one wanted really wanted to live all alone yet. All was still to new and special to them, even though they slowly got used to the life in the village.  
  
Mikoto watched two younger genomes that were being instructed in the life of the small Chocobo. One of them tried to grab its tail, which resulted in a painful scream from the yellow bird. The genome jumped back in surprise, and the black mage seemed to enjoy itself in spite of its simple face. She turned around and watched another genome, which was bringing nuts from the top of a tree by hanging in its tail. She smiled, but the smile was also filled with sadness. She knew what the genomes were going through, and she felt it herself. Nothing in this world was as they were used to - and they still needed to learn a lot about being alive.  
  
"Mikoto!"  
  
She turned and saw two genomes run towards her. "Yes?" she asked.  
  
"We want you to come with us," the first and oldest said. It was also a girl, and Mikoto noticed that she had bound a brown string around her yellow hair. It made her look so different from her former self. And then she noticed something in her hand.  
  
"What is that?" she asked in surprise.  
  
The girl looked at it with proud. "It is a bow," she answered. "I read about it in a book that the black mages had, and I made my own. It was not difficult, they have just the right trees here."  
  
Mikoto stared at the bow. That it had been easy to make the first bow ever did not surprise her - she knew that she easily could have done it herself as a genome. But she realised how much this girl had already changed. "What will you use it for?"  
  
"Hunting."  
  
The second genome nodded, a younger boy. "I saw the book that Eleen had. That is how humans get food - they hunt."  
  
The girl named Eleen showed Mikoto some arrows that she had in a primitive quiver on her back. "I am going to learn. You coming?"  
  
Mikoto smiled. 'You coming?' wasn't anything she was used to hear among genomes - only the black mages. It almost scared her as Eleen had adapted. *Maybe it is me,* she thought. *Maybe I am too slow and stubborn.* Then she nodded. "Yes, I am coming."  
  
* * *  
  
The three genomes walked through the giant forest, watching everything that moved around them. Eleen had bow and arrow ready, looking for an opportunity to use them. The youngest, Janu, ran around outside the path. He soon stopped and pointed at something.  
  
"Can you hit that Eleen?" he asked.  
  
Eleen looked in the direction that he was pointing, and saw what he meant. It was a small beehive hanging high up on a branch. "I can try," she answered, and aimed with her bow. She fired, but the arrow fell far too low.  
  
"Well, it does not seem very effective," Mikoto said.  
  
Eleen collected her lost arrow and aimed once more. "I will learn!" she said as she fired once more. This one landed out of sight inside the forest, and Janu ran in after it.  
  
"Janu!" Mikoto yelled. "It is dangerous in there!"  
  
"I will help him." Eleen soon ran after, before Mikoto could stop her. She now stood all by herself without knowing what to do. "This is." she thought about a word that she had heard in the village before, ". stupid," she then completed. Then she followed them. She found them further into the forest, and discovered that trouble also had found their way. Janu was watching the arrow, which was sitting in a broad tree, while Eleen stood not far from him. But none of them had seen the large living flower that rose behind Janu.  
  
"It is behind you!" Mikoto shouted in surprise. Janu turned around and screamed as he saw the growling 'flower' that floated above him. It moved its leaves slowly, readying itself for the attack. But Eleen was quick, and she soon had another arrow on the bow.  
  
"Eleen, no!" Mikoto said. "You can not help him that way!"  
  
Eleen narrowed her eyes. "I know I can."  
  
With another unnatural growl the flower bend over Janu, closing its leaves around him. In that moment Eleen fired her arrow, hitting the flower near the middle. It was hurled backwards, and the arrow struck deep into a tree. Screaming the flower tried to get free as Janu ran to the two other genomes. Mikoto stared.  
  
"I learned!" Eleen said proudly.  
  
Mikoto nodded. "Yes. you did."  
  
Janu started running around, begging Eleen to borrow him the bow. In that moment when Mikoto felt like joining their happiness, something struck her. She froze, surprised about this unknown feeling. The two young genomes were forgotten as she closed her eyes, trying to find the origin of the pain - the call - deep inside her.  
  
"Melody?" she said and opened her eyes once again. Eleen and Janu watched her with surprise and wonder. She turned towards them with fear and sorrow in her eyes.  
  
"It is Melody," she whispered.  
  
* * *  
  
Darkness.  
  
I am alone. again.  
  
. Fearless. without pain. am I dead?  
  
Melody opened her eyes, blinking but without seeing anything. There was nothing around her but total darkness, but still she could feel the firm ground underneath her. It was without grass, but not earth. It was something that reminded her of a plant.  
  
A plant? Slowly she tried to move, but the pain forced her to lie still again. *I feel pain. Then I can not be dead.* She sighed and closed her eyes. *Unless this is my death. To lie here in the eternal dark, forever.*  
  
"Me.. lodies. k.."  
  
Her eyes opened again, and she stared out into the dark. That voice. the voice from her dreams. So near! Once again she tried to get up, fighting the pain. She finally got to sit up, making sure that nothing was broken. In some way she had survived the fall, even though she fell like a hundred hammers had beaten her. She looked up, and gasped as she saw the blue sky - far up and away. Yes, she was alive. And the darkness was not endless anyway.  
  
She tried to put her hand on the ground near her, but almost fell as she realised, that there was nothing but thin air! She crawled backwards, making sure that she was not walking into certain death. And then she realised what the weird ground underneath her was: a giant root! Just like the ones bearing Conte Petie. As she concentrated her eyes, she realised that the dark was full of them. They led from the cliffs to the large tree, which meant that there still was a chance that she could get up.  
  
*But why should I?* she thought. *What do I have to return to?* She once again looked into the dark gap, thinking of the possibility of jumping and ending the worries. How long had she been here anyway? And what. what had happened to Jack and Jaileen? She took her hand to her shoulder, and felt the pain from the wound on her shoulder. The one that had pushed her down here.  
  
"Melodies. whisper."  
  
She froze in surprise. The voice! She had forgotten it! But where did it come from?  
  
"Endlessss. sss."  
  
"Who are you?" she asked, and found her own voice surprisingly loud in the dark silence. Fear grabbed her. What if it was a fiend? She realised that she still had her dagger, but was she able to fight? A strange sound made her shiver. It was like. laughter - weak though, but still a laughter. The cold and mysterious voice made her shiver.  
  
"Fff. fight?" the voice whispered, as if it had read her thoughts. There was a long pause, as if the voice had to collect strength to continue. Then the next sentence came, more real and firm than ever before:  
  
"I will. bring you back. I will give you your strength."  
  
Melody tried to find out if she could stand. "Who are you?" she repeated. "Why should I trust you?"  
  
"Beca.use." Pause. "Because I. brought you here. Because. I. am you."  
  
Suddenly Melody could feel the voice disappear. It was like something unseen left her, and the darkness felt even darker than before. She began to feel the panic rise in her. "Where are you?" she called. "How can you help me?" She got on her feet, and turned around. And then suddenly she saw something - a weak light. She was staring at the Iifa Tree, and the small light made the path visible. Something was in there.  
  
* * *  
  
Melody leaned against a large root going up through the tree, forced by the pain and loss of strength to rest. She looked upwards. She had finally reached the inside of the giant tree, and discovered that this also was a complicated net of giant roots and mysterious constructions. All the time she had to be careful that she didn't fall into the darkness, and sometimes she almost passed out. Even though she had survived, the fall had taken a lot of her vitality. Just as she felt like giving up, she felt the voice surrounding her again.  
  
"D. dyin.g."  
  
"No!" she whispered. "Who is dying?"  
  
"Iifa. the tree of life. gives life."  
  
She shook her head. "I do not understand. This place is dead, I know it."  
  
"It was made. for us. Use it."  
  
For a moment Melody waited for the voice to say more, and then she looked around her. Use it - how? She tried to put both her hands on the root that she was standing up against, and watched it. Nothing happened.  
  
"Concentrate." the voice whispered, and Melody closed her eyes and did what she was told. Soon she felt a small stream of energy running through her, so weak that it was almost non-existent. But it helped her regain some of her health and energy, and she thanked the voice silently. She looked around, knowing that it would be impossible to draw more power from the dead tree.  
  
"What now?" she asked.  
  
"Further. deep."  
  
Without another word she continued into the tree. The most of the aching in her body were gone thanks to the life-giving tree, but the wound in her left shoulder had not disappeared. Soon she reached something that looked like the middle. The path was spiralling longer into the deep here, and she decided to rest before she continued downwards. She sat on the path and closed her eyes. The outside world was almost forgotten now, and only the mission to find the place that the voice leads her to existed in her mind. Everything didn't matter - not even what would happen when she reached her destination.  
  
After walking for a long time without knowing if it was night and day, Melody discovered that she was standing in front of the centre of the tree. A large root was blocking her way, going vertical up- and downwards as long as she could see in the dark. *What now?* she thought.  
  
A sound made her spin around, surprised that anything would live down here, and her eyes searched through the dark behind her. She saw something move quickly in the dark, and drew her sword. Her tail swayed from side to side as she readied herself for the attack. Another movement was enough for her to jump off the safe spot on the path, and she flew through the air before she landed on top of something. The unidentified creature shook her off and turned to face her. Melody stared at the thing - she had been right. There weren't any living things left in the tree, only undead creatures like this brownish zombie that stared back at her with its dead, white eyes. Because of the shock she forgot to take the first move. The zombie was surprisingly quick, and soon launched at her.  
  
This was a perfect place for her to fight. Her eyes had adjusted to the dark, and roots, vines and dead vegetation hung all around them. She jumped away backwards, grabbing around a creaking branch with her tail, throwing herself higher into the air. She ended up behind the Zombie, slicing through its spine with the dagger. Shocked, it widened its white eyes. Then it fell down on the ground, even deader than before.  
  
"You still surprise me, my little melody."  
  
Melody turned around, and was soon staring into a bright yellow light. The light was coming from the middle of a bunch of tangled, strong roots. Stunned by the sight, she could only keep staring into the light, and the shape inside it. A couple of eyes opened and looked back at her, smiling.  
  
"Wh.who.?" Melody stammered.  
  
"Someone who has been waiting for you. for a very long time."  
  
END OF CHAPTER 8 


	9. Melodies of Life

CHAPTER 9: MELODIES OF LIFE  
  
"Melody!"  
  
Jaileen jumped down from the cliff, lying on her knees and staring into the dark. "No! You bastards!" She raised again, her sword ready in hand. Then she charged, backing up Jack who was busy fighting off the three attackers. With one blow she crushed the crossbow, making the archer draw his knife. The second man was soon at his side, as they both tried to push her over the edge.  
  
Jack ended up facing the leader alone. "So, we finally meet face-to-face again!" the large bully said, raising his sword. Jack backed away, as he tried to get a better position. "Not that I missed that ugly face of yours," he answered, sarcastically. "Just get over with it, Gav."  
  
With a grunt Gav swung downwards, almost slicing Jack in half. He jumped away just in time tripping over a small rock. Gav laughed triumphantly. "Ha! You're loosing it, Jack! Didn't think that you would go down that easily!"  
  
As the sword chopped down against Jacks head once more, he rolled over to escape the deadly swing. He ended up lying against the cliff, staring up at a formation of loose rocks, and got an idea. "Like you'll ever get me! You're too slow to know when you're insulted."  
  
With a roar he swung down towards Jack once more, but only struck the red cliff as Jack ducked his head in time. Rubble rolled down the side, making him look up in surprise - only to see half the cliff falling down towards him. Jack threw himself away, rolling across the stony ground as Gav was knocked down. A rumble told them that the rest of the walls were close to collapsing. "J!" Jack called, coughing because of all the dust. More rocks came down and blocked the way between Jaileen and her two attackers. She ran over to help Jack up, and they barely escaped more falling rocks.  
  
"What happened?"  
  
Jack stared at the cliffs. He had had no idea that what he did would have started such an avalanche. "I think I just ruined this ravine - come on, we have to get away." He took Jaileens arm, and started dragging her along as he started to climb some of the rubble. "This won't hold them off forever."  
  
Jaileen followed, and they were soon leaving the path behind, red dust floating above the rubble. But after some time, she stopped. Jack turned and looked as she sat down on the ground.  
  
"What is it? We have to go. They might be following us already."  
  
She shook her head. "They killed her."  
  
Jack didn't answer. He turned and watched the gigantic tree. They weren't far from the edge. "I wonder what she wanted here."  
  
"I. I couldn't protect her. She left because of me. Because I had to ask." She looked up at Jack. "It is my fault."  
  
He sighed. "Will you stop it? We don't have time for this. Who knows. maybe she survived somehow."  
  
Jaileen looked at the endless deep, but she didn't have to say anything. Jack ran his hand through his white hair, knowing that there was no chance that she had survived that fall. "You couldn't know. And anyway, there's nothing to find here. This is not what we expected. What anyone expected - not even Gav and his gang. There is no power here, no treasure. The tree is dead - whatever she was looking for, it belongs to her now, and no-one else."  
  
Jaileen nodded, and he walked over to her. "Maybe we should go now."  
  
"No. let's find a place to rest." She rose on her feet, brushing the red dust off her clothes. "There must be somewhere we can be safe around here. A place where they can't find us."  
  
* * *  
  
"I have one favour left to ask of you." the voice said, a soft and kind voice. But at the same time dangerous.  
  
Melody held her dagger tight, staring at the ray of energy surrounding the cage of roots. And the shape inside it, curled up as if it was holding on to the last power that it had.  
  
"What do you want?" she whispered.  
  
"My cage. destroy my prison, my chosen."  
  
For a moment Melody didn't move, but then she stepped forward with the dagger in both hands. She raised the blade and closed her eyes. Then she struck down towards the thick roots, slicing almost half way through them. Filled with the rage of the happenings these last days, she struck again and again at the roots, bits of the vegetation flying around her face. Soon there was only a small and brown root left, blocking the way into the core. She stared at it for a while, recovering her breath. Then she struck down a last time, slicing it in two. The light brightened up, and the last roots around the shape inside were cast aside as Melody sat down on the path underneath her. She didn't care what would happen to her now - nothing mattered anymore.  
  
"You are crying, my little bird?" the voice said right in front of her. It was no longer in her mind, but real and living. She opened her eyes and looked up at a pale face surrounded by long white - almost silver hair. He smiled down at her, his arms crossed across his chest.  
  
"You." she whispered. ". It can not be. how?"  
  
He laughed, and spread his arms. "This! This place - dreams, souls. this were made for us. This was once a living thing, my little singing bird. Made to obey us. It knew it was dying, and that is why it tried to kill us."  
  
"Zidane," Melody whispered. Mikoto had told them that Zidane also had died here in this tree.  
  
"But just as it thought it had taken my life, I took the last life that was left. I kept me alive instead of killing me - it was never able to defeat its true master."  
  
Melody shook her head, confused. "But then. where is."  
  
"Zidane? He left. Somehow he avoided death. Maybe because the tree didn't want him dead as much as me."  
  
*Dead.* Melody thought. *All this time we thought that they were.* She looked up, and eyed the blue sky high above. *Jack and Jaileen. they are most likely gone by now. Dead. Stopped.*  
  
Kuja looked in the same direction, and smiled sarcastically. "But now. now I am free again. Now that these cursed roots are no longer sealing my powers, I can reclaim my strength."  
  
"But how did you contact me? In my dreams?"  
  
"I used the magic I could spare in my fight to stay alive. That is why you couldn't understand me until you got this close. While collecting every piece of energy in this tree, I could communicate through it. See everything that happened outside and inside it."  
  
"That means. that it was not this tree that cured me. It was you." There was no thankfulness in her voice, and she avoided looking at him. But then a small hope brewed inside her, even though she wanted it to die. "You are able to see everything outside this tree? Can you. did you see anyone fighting?"  
  
"Your friends are alive," he answered without interest. "But they have given up all hope of ever seeing you again. Just like you wanted. But they don't have much time left."  
  
"N. no!" she suddenly yelled. "I did not want them to. suffer. I want them to survive! They have to get away!"  
  
The colour-less eyes narrowed, and he looked down at her with interest. "You want to save them! You want to change their destiny here at this very place - this tree of death. Very well." He lifted his arms, and his tail swayed from side to side as he smiled in joy. The light around him started to shine brighter, and Melody covered her eyes. "Feel the anger!" he yelled. "The anger against your enemies - your friends. Against this world." He laughed. "And against me, my bird. Don't stop it from pouring through you! Welcome the strength it gives you. Use it!"  
  
As he said it, Melody thought back at the journey. She remembered the hatred, the sorrow and the pain. And the power that she had felt inside her on the surface when she thought that she had to fight the battle alone - it returned to her. And she felt herself change.  
  
* * *  
  
Jaileen sat on the dry ground, staring into the air. "I wonder if they have stopped following us?" she asked without interest.  
  
Jack sighed. He was checking the rest of their equipment, the few things that they had left since the escape. "They better have. How long have we been trying to lose them?"  
  
She shook her head. "Long enough." They were silent for a while as Jack sat near her. They were both looking at what was supposed to be a campfire. The sun was still up, and no one had bothered lighting the fire. Jaileen slowly turned her head and looked at Jack. His usual joy had disappeared.  
  
"Jack." she said, and then hesitated. "I."  
  
There was a pause, and Jack then reached into one of his pockets. In his hand was a wooden figurine, which was carved like a Pegasus. The wings weren't fully completed, and still a little rough. He stared at it for a while. "I originally made this for you," he then said, and looked at her. He smiled ironically. "I meant to give it to you. at another more appropriate time. But a feeling tells me that this is the time."  
  
Jaileen took the figurine from his outstretched hand and looked at it. "Oh Jack, you know that your feelings always gets us into danger."  
  
He smiled and looked down. "Well, I was right the last time, wasn't I? About her. She was. really special."  
  
She lifted her head and watched him. "Jack I. I know I have been rough to you, but you must know that I really."  
  
Their eyes met. For a while they were both silent, but then Jack rose to his feet. "I know J."  
  
"There they are!"  
  
They both turned around in surprise, as no one had heard them coming. Jaileens eyes widened as she stared at Gav standing a few meters away, pointing his arrow at them with his companions behind him. "No!" she screamed and jumped to her feet. It all happened in a couple of seconds, and she heard the arrow flying past her head. In a moment everything went silent, and then she heard a gasp behind her. She turned and watched Jack fall to the ground, running forward to catch him.  
  
"No! Oh God, no Jack! I destroyed it.. How, I destroyed that damned thing!" she cried and landed on her knees. The bolt pointed out from the left side of his chest, blood running out and covering her hand. "Jaack!"  
  
Someone laughed, and she hardly noticed that the three men surrounded her. The only thing she saw was Jack lying in her arms, his eyes closed.  
  
"He's not so smart now, is he?" Gav grunted. Jaileen looked up, burying her eyes in his.  
  
"You killed him! It never had to go this far - he was your friend!" she screamed. "Killer! I don't believe I once trusted you!"  
  
He laughed again and drew his sword. "Yeah, I killed him. And I'm going to kill you too, bitch."  
  
In that moment he raised his sword, a light suddenly beamed up from the endless gap behind them. Gav stopped his swing, staring at the pure white energy flowing from the deep, and Jaileen turned and looked as well, still holding Jack in her arms. Something came up through the light, soon hovering above the edge, and spread its arms as the light faded.  
  
"Melody," Jaileen whispered. "You came back." Then she hugged the lifeless body in her arms, as she felt tears coming up in her eyes. "But you are too late. too late."  
  
Gav and his three men completely forgot about Jaileen as they saw the being in front of them. Something in their memory told them that they once had fought this girl - but now the sight of her filled them with fear, as she had completely changed. Her simple clothing had become longer and wider, hanging from her like several white capes. Her tail flew from side to side as a cat's, and her yellow hair was a bit longer and wilder, hanging loosely around her. And her eyes were no longer green and kind - they were dark as in a storm, narrow and filled with hatred against the humans. Wing-like attachments sat on her back, keeping her in the air without moving, and in her one hand she held a long black dagger, shining with blue energy.  
  
"Shoot!" Gav cried, trying to get a proper hold on his sword. "Wake up morons and kill her!"  
  
Without a word Melody raised her arm, and sliced horizontally through the air with the dagger, creating a white line of energy where it had passed. The energy shot down towards the men, and they screamed as the light hit them. The only one who got up was Gav, gasping for air. Wounded he desperately tried to run away from the tranced genome, but stopped as he stared at someone he had never seen before. In front of him stood a person, only slightly taller than Melody. He wore white and purple clothes, and had long silver-hair. He looked at Gav with his grey eyes, smiling.  
  
"Leaving already?" he asked with his light and beautiful voice. "I'm not sure that she is through with you yet. An I have a promise to keep." Kuja lifted a hand and pointed behind the frightened man.  
  
Scared Gav turned around, and saw that Melody was standing right behind him, the wings moving slowly without a sound.  
  
"Now!" Kuja said. "Finish it!"  
  
Melody lifted her dagger against the desperate Gav, pleading for mercy, and ended his life within seconds. In that moment she felt the raging power leave her body in a white flash, and cried as she fell down on the hard ground. Tired and weak she lifted a hand, brushing a lock of hair away from her face. In front of her there was nothing left of Jacks murderer, but a dark shadow carved into the stony ground.  
  
"Melody!"  
  
She turned around, and for the first time she saw Jaileen sitting on the ground with Jack in her arms. "Jack?" she asked, and ran to them. Shocked she stared down at the lifeless body. "No.This can not be true! Kuja said that you were still alive, I. no!"  
  
END OF CHAPTER 9 


	10. A journey has Ended

CHAPTER 10: A JOURNEY HAS ENDED.  
  
It was dark, and the cloud-less sky was covered with a thousand stars. The only thing lightning up the darkness in the desert was a small campfire. Only a few days before three shadows had surrounded this very campfire - this night, only two were left.  
  
Jaileen was standing a few steps away, her back turned to the fire. She looked up at the stars, thinking back at the journey they had had. She remembered the fight against the gryphon, and she remembered how Jack had tried to convince her that the wedding in Conte Petie would only be a cover- up, and nothing special. *It is what I have left to remember.* she thought, and buried her hand in her only pocket. She frowned as something hurt her hand, and took the item up of the pocket. With tears in her eyes she watched the hand-made Pegasus in the starlight, and slowly turned it in her hand. "As always your feelings were right," she said to herself. "It was the only right time to give me this. And I'm sure you know how much I hate it - and wherever you are, I will always remember that!"  
  
* * *  
  
*I wonder where he went,* Melody thought as she stared into the fire. *I wonder what he is going to do. we all thought he was dead. Everyone thought of him as a hero, a martyr. And now. all this. I started this journey, without wanting anyone to get hurt. Instead someone dies. Dies in front of me - dies because of me. That place was best to be left alone.*  
  
"Jaileen," Melody said as the female knight returned to the camp. "Jaileen, why were they after you. Why did they have to."  
  
She sat down in front of the fire with a deep sigh. "It is a long story. Jack and me once worked together with them. I guess I would have called them my friends back then." She was silent for a while, as she remembered that time. "I resigned as a knight back then - I don't know why. I was regarded as one of the best Alexandrian knights, but my life there was getting boring. I longed for adventure, and shortly after I left I met Jack in town. He was an adventurer, a treasure hunter. He introduced me to the rest of the gang - Gav and four of his companions. They told me about this treasure they were planning to find - the tree of power. I got so caught up in this plan along with the others, it all sounded so exciting and great. And I had got a very close friend in the gang along with Jack." She paused for a moment, and even though Melody longed to hear the rest she did not force Jaileen to continue.  
  
"His name was Dave," the knight said. "I really liked him. I guess I thought it was some kind of love back then. But our hunt for the Tree of Power. we never got to leave Alexandria on this grand quest. Some information came up, about things that had happened. The Mist disappeared, and everyone found out about this giant tree that was supposed to have spawned the evil monsters along with the Mist. And it was also supposed to have created the mages that destroyed our homes and families in Lindblum.  
  
All this made us change our mind, and the idea of searching this tree and the unknown, dangerous power seemed less attractive. Jack and me wanted to leave, but Gav kept going. much happened. And it didn't stop until a life was taken. Dave's." Jaileen sighed.  
  
"That was when we left the gang completely - that day Gav got angry and said that no one could ever leave *his* gang, and he ended up fighting. Jack wounded him severely, and we ran. We never saw them since, but we heard of them. they never gave up the hunt. And Gav never forgot the wound that Jack had given him."  
  
Melody looked away. Jaileen who had lost the one she cared for, and that she thought she loved. Only to lose her true love too in the end. "I am sorry," she whispered.  
  
"Its not your fault!" Jaileen said. "Gav and Jack would have had to meet again some day. I think that even Jack would have wanted that. To even it out - or maybe to forget what had happened, so that they could become friends again." She shook her head. "But at least he could have given Jack the opportunity to die fighting."  
  
Staring up in the endless sky, Melody suddenly thought of her old home again, for the first time in a couple of days. She once again wondered where Kuja had gone. She would have asked him if there were a way to return. but he had told her that the Iifa Tree was truly dead. There could be no other way back. and with this in mind, she watched the glittering stream of stars, flowing north to the cold areas of the world.  
  
.To the place where the stream of souls could walk between worlds.  
  
END OF CHAPTER 10  
  
Notes/Comments:  
  
I finally did it! My first fanfic on this page is finished! I'm sorry it took so long, but I still hope you like it, and I hope you would please write a review.  
  
I know that the story leaves a bit of a loose end. When I first started on this, I planned it to be much longer - the journey to the Iifa Tree and the rescuing of Kuja was only meant to be the beginning of a much longer story. But as I wrote, I thought that it would be a good idea to stop here. at least for now. (I didn't even mean to kill Jack in the beginning ^~^ Actually I hate killing my characters.)  
  
But thanks for reading; I hope you liked it!  
  
~ Vatina 


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